Can I trust my life to my new 1911?

[84B20]

Last Monday I purchased a Colt Government MK IV, Series 70. Manufactured in 1978. It is in great shape, almost new but for one problem. I have only fired it twice, that is the first two days I had it. I used hollow points and had FTF's as well as FTE's. I took it to a gunsmith and he polished the ramp and the FTF's stopped but the FTE's persisted. Not on every round but intermittently. He is continuing to work on it but it is still disconcerting. It seems the slide sometimes fails to go completely into battery and therein, it seems, lies the problem. I bought it for my new CCW, but I'm not sure I can now trust my life to it.

I know the gun was really meant for FMJ's and they fired successfully (except for the FTE's), but the HP's I used were Speer Gold Dot +P as well as Winchester PDX1's.

 

[ugaarguy]

If it's not locking completely into battery it sounds like you need to replace the recoil spring.

 

[84B20]

I thought that also but the gunsmith feels that the spring is quite strong. He and I have had some difficulty in compressing it on reassembly. I hope it may be that, though. It has been sitting in storage since 1978 and really hasn’t been fired much if any.

 

[AK103K]

The older 1911's generally need a "throat and polish" or what some call a reliability package to have them work reliably with all types of ammo.

What that basically encompasses is, they reshape the chamber area of the barrel where it meets the feed ramp, and polish it and the feed ramp. You also usually get the extractor tuned and polished, as well as polishing the ejector and breach face.

If your smith isnt familiar with this, then I'd look to someone who is.

I dont know what your comfort level is, but mine has driven my to choose other platforms. I carried 1911's most of my life, up until about 10 years ago now. Got tired of always fiddling with them, especially the "clones". I still like them, and still shoot them, just dont trust them to carry them.

 

[HisSoldier]

Are the failures random or do they happen at the same point in the magazine. Some guns "jump" the last round ahead of the extractor. Is it an original magazine? Ask in the 1911 forum, "gunsmithing and troubleshooting" section;http://forums.1911forum.com/index.php, read appropriate sections here too; http://www.m1911.org/technic.htm

The 1911 is not a finicky gun, if it isn't dead on reliable there is a reason for it.

 

[easyg]

...but the FTE's persisted. Not on every round but intermittently....

...It seems the slide sometimes fails to go completely into battery...

...I bought it for my new CCW, but I'm not sure I can now trust my life to it.

I certainly wouldn't trust my life to it in that condition.

 

[mljdeckard]

The standard we usually stick to is, 200 consecutive rounds fired, using the ammo and the magazines you plan to carry, ERROR FREE. If you get an FTE or FTF, start over again at zero. I don't recommend you try this until you are reasonably sure the gun is fixed, or you will wind up spending a lot of money on ammo.

I would suggest, there gunsmiths and there are gunsmiths. Some guys just really know how to tune 1911s, but you don't instantly get this skill from a mail-order gunsmithing course. I would seek out a gunsmith who REALLY knows the 1911. (Contact 1911 Tuner, he's a moderator on this board.) I think you need to have the extractor looked at.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Can I trust my life to my new 1911?

Not in its present condition.

 

[Omaney]

No you cannot.

 

[Oro]

He and I have had some difficulty in compressing it on reassembly.

Then that makes it sounds like more than a 16lb spring, which certainly would cause the problems you described. I have several 1911s, including one two and several older Colts, including 2 "original" Series '70 guns. Both of those are in stock trim and are among the most reliable guns I have ever seen.

With any older 1911 autoloader, even if it appears to be little fired, I do two things:

1) Verify it has a 16lb recoil spring and 23lb mainspring in good condition.
2) Use Colt or WWII GI type magazines.

These two things have solved most all ills I've encountered. In other words, run it as it was designed. You will be surprised how many "ills" this cures. The guns will run various ammo reliably that way. Also, be aware there are many "fake" Colt magazines out there. If yours are legit, they will have the horse on them as well as a vendor sub-code stamp (C or M usually) and be seven-shot. You can see the sticky at the top of this forum by 1911Tuner for some more information on that.

Congrats on the gun, though. A near-mint original Series '70 is a gorgeous and wonderful gun. One reason I have two is so I can keep my "mint" one in that condition and have another as a carry/shooter. They are just wonderful guns and near the pinnacle of the 1911 Colt commercial lineage in many regards.

 

[cyclopsshooter]

Use Colt or WWII GI type magazines.

+1` always a good idea- 70s military mags with contract number 1m291 are good too


but as for your problem, my gut says there is too much tension on the extractor

 

[BK]

Only after several hundred flawless and accurate shots.
But you're obviously not there.

 

[Oro]

there is too much tension on the extractor

Oh yes, Cyclops. Good catch. I meant to mention that too. Let me find the good guide on testing that.

Ah, here it is:

http://www.m1911.org/technic2.htm

I understand this "Bill Wilson" character knows a thing or two about building 1911s.

 

[dmazur]

I bought a Colt Combat Commander in the '70s. No problems with it until I tried to feed it hollow points. I was an unhappy camper until a local gunsmith did the "throat and polish" described above.

Many years later, it got a better trigger pull.

At this point, it is as reliable as the newer 1991A1 Commander I have.

Don't give up. These things are just machines. The good news is, they are so popular it isn't hard to find a solution to these relatively simple problems. The bad news is, sometimes they don't run right.

In my experience, once you get one "tuned" it tends to be pretty darn reliable, as long as you don't continue trying to "fix" it...

 

[Clarence]

+1 on the extractor being the source of your problem.

 

[MICHAEL T]

Shot little or not I would replace the springs Recoil, firing pin spring and hammer If original mag clean and replace spring Clean pistol then clean again and finely re tune the extractor For a carry gun if used I always install new springs
Sitting hasn't hurt it but hasn't really done it any good Springs are cheap I wouldn't let just any body polish the feed ramp So called gunsmith or not .

 

[Drail]

Don't touch the feedramp! Sounds like extractor problems or a short chamber or a dirty chamber.